After 20 years at IBM, I changed careers and started a side gig. My small business is now a 7-figure company that hit $2 million in revenue this year — here’s how I grew it.

What happened: Becky DeGrossa, 66, spent 20 years at IBM, then became a therapist before founding CounselingWise, a marketing agency helping therapists with websites, SEO, and Google Ads. Key numbers: Seven-figure company since 2022; hit $2 million in revenue in June 2026; about $300,000 profit yearly for five years; 40 to 50 contractors; left IBM in 2003. Why it matters: She scaled by systematizing SEO techniques and hiring contractors with strong people skills, since her therapist clients are sensitive to human interaction.

Becky DeGrossa, 66, spent 20 years at IBM, then became a therapist before founding CounselingWise, a marketing agency helping therapists with websites, SEO, and Google Ads.

She scaled by systematizing SEO techniques and hiring contractors with strong people skills, since her therapist clients are sensitive to human interaction.